Introduction
New Year is a spanking new initiation of freshness almost in every sphere of life. New Year Eve is the most awaited festival across the world. People wait for the festival with high excitement as it marks the new beginning of the next phase of life. The New Year Carnival in India is perhaps one of the occasions which quite ideally unfurl the real allure of the country where tradition and culture blends with convention and rituals.
The craze for the festival in India has risen from recent past due to the influence of western culture. December 31st is celebrated as New Year’s Eve, the final day of the Gregorian Year, and the day before the New Year's Day. The celebration of the day usually starts in the evening and gets to full swing at 12 "0" clock midnight and lasts till late night. In India, New Year celebrations are lavish and grand in metropolitan cities with the western influence while in smaller cities and towns these celebrations tend to be comparatively unfussy. There is the trend of family and friend’s gatherings and partying together on this eve to bid farewell to the by-gone year and welcome the New Year bountifully. Many discos and restaurants organize special programs and sparkling fireworks for the celebration.
The breeze of celebrations of New Year Eve is followed by New Year’s Day that is the day after the New Year Eve, January 1st. All people try to follow their New Year resolutions, right from the first day of the New Year. People exchange gifts and welcome the coming year with lots of pleasure and excitement.
Legends
New Year’s Celebration was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible cresent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring).
The beginning of spring is a logical time to start a newyear. After all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops, and ofblossoming. It is purely arbitrary. The Babylonian New Year celebration lastedfor eleven days. Each day had its own particular grand mode of celebration.
The Romans continued to observe the New Year in late March. In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 B.C, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the New Year.
But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 B.C, established the Julian calendar. It again established Jan1 as the New Year. But in order to synchronies the calendar with sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days!!!
Although in the first centuries of A.D the Romans continuedcelebrating the New Year, the early Catholic Church condemned festivities aspaganism. But as Christianity became more widespread the early Church beganhaving its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagancelebrations, and New Years' Day was no different. New Year's Day is stillobserved as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision by some denomination.
During the middle ages, the Church remained opposed tocelebrating New Year. January1 has been celebrated as a holiday by Westernnations for only about the past 400 years. Catholic countries adopted it soon. Germanyadopted it in 1700, Great Britainin 1752, and Swedenin 1753.
The Oriental countries through the influence of religiousgroups such as the Hindus, Taoists, Buddhists and Muslims, considered the newCalendar as the Christian Calendar, but also adopted it as their official one. Japanwelcomed it in 1873 and Chinain 1912.
The Eastern Orthodox adopted it even later, in 1924 and1927, Russiatook it twice - first in 1918 and after trying out its own calendars, again in 1924.
Celebrations
Celebrations of New Year Eve have become more popular in the country from last decade. The Eve is celebrated with great gusto and zeal all over the country.
Although it is considered that celebrations for the New Year Eve are the outcome of the western influence but every festival celebrated in India reflects the richness of Indian culture. Same go true for the New Year Eve’s celebrations.
New Year Eve’s celebrations are the perfect blend of the western and Indian culture. People adorn their houses with fresh flowers and colorful rangoli on the occasion. The eve comes with exciting plans for each age group.
People plan their programs for the New Year Eve well in advance right from youth to elder people. Youth wait eagerly for the day and have their own styles to welcome the New Year by enjoying together with friends and family members.
Metropolitan cites have special charisma of New Year Eve. The cities are decorated and there are a lot of lightings on the roads and many such efforts are taken to add to the enthusiasm in the air. The discos and pubs in these cities are found jam packed with the younger people. Metro cities also organize concerts or musical shows for the entertainment of the public.
The elder people and other senior citizens enjoy family gatherings and social parties at restaurants or houses while some few prefer watching different programs on television. There is also trend of playing several indoor games which are designed by the hosts of the party. The major heart throb of the evening which is practiced almost every place of the celebration is the sparkling fireworks right at the time of the farewell of the older year and welcome of the New Year.
Different New Year Party Games
Many people enjoy their New Year Eve by simply joining personal parties with their friends and family. Basically India strongly follows the culture of family life so still the tradition of discos and dance clubs is not that popular in the country; Personal parties are still more common in different parts of the country. New Year Eve party includes delicious cuisine accompanied by music and dance of the family members but games add another star to the enjoyment on the eve.
There are options of many amusing and exciting indoor games which can be played on the New Year eve. Playing such games also treasures exciting memories in every one’s heart which keep rejuvenating through out the year. Commonly played games in the New Year Evenings are Scrabble, Chinese whisper, passing the parcel, memory games etc. Choice of games should be such which include players from every genre from old to young and elders to kids. Following are few of the unique game ideas for the New Year Eve:
The beginning of spring is a logical time to start a newyear. After all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops, and ofblossoming. It is purely arbitrary. The Babylonian New Year celebration lastedfor eleven days. Each day had its own particular grand mode of celebration.
The Romans continued to observe the New Year in late March. In order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 B.C, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the New Year.
But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 B.C, established the Julian calendar. It again established Jan1 as the New Year. But in order to synchronies the calendar with sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days!!!
Although in the first centuries of A.D the Romans continuedcelebrating the New Year, the early Catholic Church condemned festivities aspaganism. But as Christianity became more widespread the early Church beganhaving its own religious observances concurrently with many of the pagancelebrations, and New Years' Day was no different. New Year's Day is stillobserved as the Feast of Christ's Circumcision by some denomination.
During the middle ages, the Church remained opposed tocelebrating New Year. January1 has been celebrated as a holiday by Westernnations for only about the past 400 years. Catholic countries adopted it soon. Germanyadopted it in 1700, Great Britainin 1752, and Swedenin 1753.
The Oriental countries through the influence of religiousgroups such as the Hindus, Taoists, Buddhists and Muslims, considered the newCalendar as the Christian Calendar, but also adopted it as their official one. Japanwelcomed it in 1873 and Chinain 1912.
The Eastern Orthodox adopted it even later, in 1924 and1927, Russiatook it twice - first in 1918 and after trying out its own calendars, again in 1924.
Celebrations
Celebrations of New Year Eve have become more popular in the country from last decade. The Eve is celebrated with great gusto and zeal all over the country.Although it is considered that celebrations for the New Year Eve are the outcome of the western influence but every festival celebrated in India reflects the richness of Indian culture. Same go true for the New Year Eve’s celebrations.
New Year Eve’s celebrations are the perfect blend of the western and Indian culture. People adorn their houses with fresh flowers and colorful rangoli on the occasion. The eve comes with exciting plans for each age group.
People plan their programs for the New Year Eve well in advance right from youth to elder people. Youth wait eagerly for the day and have their own styles to welcome the New Year by enjoying together with friends and family members.
Metropolitan cites have special charisma of New Year Eve. The cities are decorated and there are a lot of lightings on the roads and many such efforts are taken to add to the enthusiasm in the air. The discos and pubs in these cities are found jam packed with the younger people. Metro cities also organize concerts or musical shows for the entertainment of the public.
The elder people and other senior citizens enjoy family gatherings and social parties at restaurants or houses while some few prefer watching different programs on television. There is also trend of playing several indoor games which are designed by the hosts of the party. The major heart throb of the evening which is practiced almost every place of the celebration is the sparkling fireworks right at the time of the farewell of the older year and welcome of the New Year.
Different New Year Party Games
Many people enjoy their New Year Eve by simply joining personal parties with their friends and family. Basically India strongly follows the culture of family life so still the tradition of discos and dance clubs is not that popular in the country; Personal parties are still more common in different parts of the country. New Year Eve party includes delicious cuisine accompanied by music and dance of the family members but games add another star to the enjoyment on the eve.
There are options of many amusing and exciting indoor games which can be played on the New Year eve. Playing such games also treasures exciting memories in every one’s heart which keep rejuvenating through out the year. Commonly played games in the New Year Evenings are Scrabble, Chinese whisper, passing the parcel, memory games etc. Choice of games should be such which include players from every genre from old to young and elders to kids. Following are few of the unique game ideas for the New Year Eve:
- Musical Chair
Steps:
- Chairs are arranged less than the number of people.
- Short snippet of music is played while the people move around these chairs.
- Those playing the game move around the chair.
- When the music stops everyone tries to sit on a vacant chair.
- The person who doesn't find a chair is 'out'.
- Similarly, one chair is taken out after every round.
- Person who is left at the end of the game is declared the winner'.
2. Newspaper Game
This game is also amusing and lovely one. The game is played in the parties, which include couples. The game is musical and also includes dancing, truly the most interesting one for couples.
Steps:
Steps:
- All couples com on the dancing floor.
- According to number of teams, newspapers are totally opened and spread on the floor.
- Each couple has to take position on one of the Newspaper spread on the floor.
- Music is played and couple has to dance on the beats with the area of paper and should not come out of it.
- After each short snippet of music, Newspaper is half folded and again the music is started.
- Couples have to take care of not coming out from the limited area of the newspaper, those failing this are out of the game.
- With the each new snippet of music, paper is folded and dancing area becomes shorter and shorter making the game more difficult and interesting.
- The couple remaining on the floor till the end is declared the winner.
3. Funny Face Contest
This game is played and enjoyed by people of all ages. The game includes loads of fun and laughter. People playing the game forget their all worries and get involved in gratification and celebration of the New Year Eve.
Steps:
This game is played and enjoyed by people of all ages. The game includes loads of fun and laughter. People playing the game forget their all worries and get involved in gratification and celebration of the New Year Eve.
Steps:
- Take picture of all the guests present in the party one by one.
- Have them make a funny face and be sure to tell them there is a prize for the best face.
- After taking all the snaps, download these to computer or laptop.
- Gather everyone around the monitor and let everyone see all the snaps.
- The winner will be judged on the blast of greatest laughter.
4. The Grouping Game
This game is again enjoyed by the people of all age groups. The game is the good method to cause interaction between unknown people and joining each one in the spirit of joy and celebration.
Steps:
This game is again enjoyed by the people of all age groups. The game is the good method to cause interaction between unknown people and joining each one in the spirit of joy and celebration.
Steps:
- It starts out as everyone collects in one big group.
- The leader initially calls out a number, usually a number between two and fifteen.
- The number shouldn't be more than half of the number of total participants.
- When the number is called out everyone must try to collect in a group that contains that number of people.
- The group members should be latching arms or have their arms wrapped around each other so that the leader can see who is in the group.
- If someone cannot enter a group because the number of required members has been reached, he is out of the game.
- As different numbers are successively called out the number of participants gets smaller and smaller.
- Eventually, there are less than ten people. The last group, or winning group, should have anywhere from two to five people.
Dumb Actions
This is again the game full of enjoyment and fun. The game is played between different teams of size ranging from 5 to 8 members each. The game is commonly played in the small sized parties.
Steps:
Steps:
- All players are divided into different teams.
- One team decides the name of the movie and whispers it to a single player from the opposite team.
- The player has to act the name of the movie in the best possible way, to make it understood by his team members in the minimum time.
- The player while enacting the name of the movie should not utter a single word and even avoid the lip movement.
- Time taken to guess the name of the movie by the team is noted down and the same steps are followed by the opposite team.
- If any team fails to guess the movie the 1 point is granted to that team.
- At the end, the team with the least number of points or 0 points wins the game.
New Year Tips
It’s that time of the year again when our minds don’t think anything else but of partying and celebrating to the most. Yes, you guessed it right. Its New Year’s eve. And the countdown to the New Year has begun. Everybody is in a party mood. Celebrations have been planned at various places across the country. Whether its hotels, pubs or discos, all have braced themselves up wonderfully to welcome the New Year with open arms. On the night of 31st December, when the clock ticks 12, the whole world will usher in New Year and the celebrations across the world will reach a high.
You too must be gearing up to wear your party hats to raise a toast to the New Year. But before you revel in the New Year Masti, we suggest you some tips. They will certainly make your New Year eve celebrations more exciting and memorable.
- If you and your bunch of friends have decided to ring in the New Year by attending a party at a hotel, then its better to reach the ‘hip and happening place’ together instead of going alone by one’s own vehicle. By pooling the vehicle, you will not only be contributing in reducing heavy traffic that is a common feature on the New year’s eve, but also have fun all along the way.
- New Year is the time when no body minds boozing with friends at the dos. But if you are heavily drunk, make sure that you do not drive. Don’t try to show your manliness by driving in a drunken state. Ask your friend to drop you at home. Drinking, mixed with driving does more harm than good.
- If you are bored of throwing the same New Year bash every year at your home, then try something different this time. No, we are not asking you to leave your place, but we simply want to say that ask your friends to come dressed up according to a particular theme. And arrange for a prize that would be awarded who comes best dressed up. This will certainly add fun to the party.
- At New Year’s Eve, everybody takes resolutions but only for one’s own self. Take a resolution this time that you would take out some time from your busy schedule during the year and educate a child who cannot afford school education. And make sure that you fulfill your resolution.
- Who says one can’t celebrate at home? Infact, home is the best place. You too can make your new year exciting at home. You just have to sit together with your family members, have ‘Ghazar ka Halwa’ with them and discuss your plans for the New Year. Your eve would certainly be exciting.
- Fun and Masti are a part of New Year celebrations but not at the cost of somebody else’s peace. If an old person or some patient stays near house, then try to keep the volume of your music systems a little low. There is no point in having fun when the others are getting disturbed.
- Take out your all your crackers which you didn’t burst at Diwali. This is the perfect time to burst them. But don’t forget the rules that you kept in mind at Diwali’. Always lit the crackers from a distance and keep a bucket of water always ready with you.
- In the age of cell phones and internet, we have forgotten to wish our near and dear ones in person. SMSes and e-cards have become a rage amongst us. New Year is the best time when one can catch up friends and relatives. Go to their places and give them your good wishes. Your loved ones will surely admire this gesture of yours.
- In the midst of celebrations, we usually forget when the dawn sets in. It’s always wise to finish the celebrations at a proper time and go to sleep. Its not wise idea to reach office late on the first working day of the New Year.
- Don’t shake a leg too much on the dance floor at the party. If you feel you are tired, just relax. Don’t dance all night just because some body is asking you to do so. On the first day of the New Year, should be fully charged and active.
New Years Countdown
The countdown for the most awaited event in the year has already begun across the world. The entire world will bid adieu to the current year 2009 and welcome New Year 2010 with blasting celebrations as soon as the clock will struck 12:00 midnight on December 31st. New Years countdown will embark the jovial good times that will adorn every one’s lives with joyous merriment and celebrations.
Explore the following table to find out the country entering first to the New Year 2010. This table lists the exact time for the beginning of New Year in countries around the world.
Explore the following table to find out the country entering first to the New Year 2010. This table lists the exact time for the beginning of New Year in countries around the world.
New Year Time Around The World
GMT | Country |
| 31st December 10:00 a.m. | Kiritimati (Kiribati - Christmas Islands) |
| 31st December 10:15 a.m. | Chatham Island (New Zealand) |
| 31st December 11:00 a.m. | New Zealand, Tonga and the South Pole |
| 31st December 12:00 p.m. | Parts of eastern Russia, Fiji and some Pacific islands |
| 31st December 12:30 p.m. | Norfolk Island - Australia |
| 31st December 1:00 p.m. | Parts of eastern Australia and some pacific Islands |
| 31st December 1:30 p.m | South Australia |
| 31st December 2:00 p.m | Queensland - Australia, a part of Russia and some islands far east in the Pacific |
| 31st December 2:30 p.m | Northern Territory- Australia |
| 31st December 3:00 p.m | Japan and Korea |
| 31st December 4:00 p.m | China, parts of South-East Asia and rest of Australia |
| 31st December 5:00 p.m | Indonesia and rest of South-East Asia |
| 31st December 5:30 p.m | Myanmar |
| 31st December 6:00 p.m | Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and parts of Russia |
| 31st December 6:15 p.m | Nepal |
| 31st December 6:30 p.m | India |
| 31st December 7:00 p.m | Most of Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgystan and parts of Russia |
| 31st December 7:30 p.m | Afghanistan |
| 31st December 8:00 p.m | Armenia, Azerbaijan, parts of Russia and Arabia, some islands in the Indian Ocean |
| 31st December 8:30 p.m | Iran |
| 31st December 9:00 p.m | Most of western Asia and Arabia, parts of Russia, and eastern parts of Africa |
| 31st December 10:00 p.m | Eastern Europe and Turkey, parts of Africa - from North to South. |
| 31st December 11:00 p.m | Western Europe, parts of Africa |
| 1st January 00:00 am | London (U.K. - England), Dublin (Ireland), Casablanca (Morocco), Lisbon (Portugal), Reykjavik (Iceland), Yamoussoukro (Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast)), Glasgow (U.K. - Scotland), Freetown (Sierra Leone), El Aaiún (Western Sahara), Dakar (Senegal), São Tomé (Sao Tome and Principe), Conakry (Guinea), Bissau (Guinea-Bissau), Accra (Ghana), Banjul (Gambia), Cardiff (U.K. - Wales), Bamako (Mali), Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso), Nouakchott (Mauritania), Monrovia (Liberia), Lome (Togo), Belfast (U.K. - Northern Ireland) |
| 1st January 1:00 am | Azores in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean |
| 1st January 2:00 am | Eastern parts of South-America |
| 1st January 3:00 am | Rest of eastern South-America |
| 1st January 3:30 am | Newfoundland in Canada |
| 1st January 4:00 am | Eastern Canada, many Caribbean islands, parts of South-America |
| 1st January 5:00 am | Eastern Time in Canada and USA, Western South-America |
| 1st January 6:00 am | Central Time in Canada and USA, Mexico and most of Latin America |
| 1st January 7:00 am | Mountain Time in Canada and USA |
| 1st January 8:00 am | Pacific Time in Canada and USA |
| 1st January 9:00 am | Alaska - USA |
| 1st January 9:30 am | Marquesas Islands as part of the French Polynesia |
| 1st January 10:00 am | Hawaii - USA, Tahiti and Cook Islands |
| 1st January 11:00 am | Alofi (Niue), Apia (Samoa), Pago Pago (U.S.A. - American Samoa) |
